Chutzpah’s Weekly Barometer

A light hearted look back over the past week’s good, bad and indifferent including the “don’t even go there’s”.

LOVINGThe ASOS Bird of Paradise T-shirt – Riccardo Tisci is at the top of his game and don’t ASOS know it with their budget take on his Spring/Summer Givenchy collection

The cute CH Carolina Herrera Mini Matryoshka Handbag – A limited edition style that’s available at the Caroline Herrera this Spring. Love the contrast colours used, the size and the user friendly compartments. Seven different variations in goya leather are available priced at £260 and available from Carolina Herrera, 120 Mount Street, London W1.

Statement shoes for men – The menswear collections were desperately short on new ideas everywhere except the footwear. Next Winter’s shoes are chunky, two-tone, or elaborately tooled exotic skins, and sometimes all of the above. We especially love Alistair Carr’s colourful Chelsea boots with industrial fastenings for Pringle.

Zahia Dehar– The underage escort embroiled in the French soccer scandal extends her 15 minutes by turning spendy lingerie designer and has Lagerfeld in her thrawl. Much classier than Celebrity Big Brother.

Jenny Packham for Debenhams – Wiley old Debs, keen to harness ‘The Kate Effect’ pounce on one of the Duchess of Cambridge’s favourite designers for a collection of occasion wear and accessories due later this year.

‘London Collections: Men’ – Normally annexed to the last day of fashion week, whilst anyone important jets off to Milan, the BFC announce a full weekend to showcase British menswear talent running from 15th-17th June at the swish Hospital Club. And about time too.

Dolce & Gabbana’s Ltd Edition Charm Pencils – If I did cute, I’d do these. Four lipliners and eyeliners are decorated with gilt charms to show love, luck, femininity, fashion and romance. Available from Harrods from February priced at £18.50 each.

‘The Big British Bang’ at Selfridges– With the Jubilee and Olympics not far away (oh and how we’re constantly reminded of that) upmarket shopping mecca Selfridges announces a celebration of all things British running from 4thMay until the end of August. Katie already has her eye on those Nicholas Kirkwood Pearly Queen heels.

The Arts Club on Dover Street– Benefiting from a sensational makeover, The Arts Club on Dover Street offers high culture and high-end French cuisine in opulent surroundings. We love.

Sonia Rykiel – The quintessentially French fashion house snapped up by Fung Brands. We’re expecting a spectacular re-launch next season.

HATINGFlatforms– An extreme version of the Brothel Creeper and twice as ugly. So terribly 2011.

Beards – Suddenly acceptable for Walt Disney employees (whither Uncle Sam?), you just know that every self-respecting counter-culture hipster is reaching for the King of Shaves.

Couture T-shirts – Boxy, heavily-embellished, and out of most people’s price range, we say take one of your favourite old tops, cover it in glue and run through John Lewis’ haberdashery department.

High-waisted men’s trousers – Unleash your inner Simon Cowell with these chest-hugging offerings from Stefano Pilati for Yves Saint Laurent and Lanvin. But we’d rather you didn’t. One Simon Cowell is, frankly, more than enough, but more about him, below…

Winter White – White may well be the official hot option for eveningwear, but you’re fighting a losing battle against the elements. Only recommended for wives of oligarchs or anyone who lives next door to a dry cleaner. La ‘KC’ has been banned from even thinking about it.

Dior – We don’t know which is more depressing – that this affair has been drawn out to the point of ennui, or that acting creative director Bill Gaytten is rumoured to have designed several seasons ahead. For the love of God, STOP!

Simon Cowell’s DJ talent show – Yes, we’re back to the SYCO media mogul and general blight on humanity. Not content with ruining pop and Saturday night television, Cowell now sets his sights on the dance music industry for a new reality show produced in partnership with Will Smith.

DON’T CARE

Digital fashion shows– Even more lifeless than some recent couture efforts, KCD promises to collate filmed catwalk presentations online, along with backstage beauty tips and designer interviews. Easy and egalitarian this may be, but we think you simply can’t beat the buzz as the plastic is removed, the music starts, and the first look comes down the runway. Fashion is often a mood and a ‘that’s it’ moment – something which can’t be translated to an iPad screen.

Hosting brand videos/YouTube/FB links et al – My oh my, the amount of brand videos begging to be hosted on your site (gratis) continues to grow hundredfold as every label and their grandmother takes to social media and attempts to drive traffic to their brand on a freebie, courtesy of bloggers and sites. My first question is, ‘why should I drive traffic away from my site and to yours a) at all and b) for free unless its relevant to the editorial and/or its actually news and not a round-robin?’. Perhaps brands need to consider or be advised that site owners also need to make a living.